Common Ground Café and Food Pantry is one of 130 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 to $500,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s $20 Million Grant Program.
The Haverhill-based organization was chosen from a total of 738 applicants during a competitive review process. Common Ground Café serves Haverhill’s Acre and Mount Washington neighborhoods by serving homeless and elderly individuals with such basic needs as food, clothing, housewares,and personal care items. It aims to alleviate hunger and homelessness and advocate for residents regardless of age, creed or racial background.
“The funding from the Cummings Foundation has come at a crucial time for our growing organization,” said Director Ron Mills. “We share food through Café meals, our monthly food pantry program, the Elderly Brown Bag program and emergency food packages.”
The grant will help to provide meals and food distribution services while the organization completes final rehabilitation activities at their new location at 194 Winter St. in Haverhill. During the pandemic, updated food distribution practices have become more expensive, including such items as take-out packaging for meals and increased use of disinfectant products in the facility.
The Cummings $20 Million Grant Program supports Massachusetts nonprofits that are based in and primarily serve Middlesex, Essex and Suffolk Counties.